This week I’m going to share some of the love stories that I’ve read that while beautiful had a bittersweet ending.  Sometimes love doesn’t walk off hand in hand into the sunset.  Here are some of my favorites.  Please note that there might be spoilers with some of these romances that end with one of the characters passing away or clues to how the couples end up together.  You have been warned.

Ten bittersweet romances…

There you have my list for the week.  Feel free to share links in the comments to your TTT list or your favorite bittersweet love story.  Happy Valentine’s Day. Book Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Humor

Released: 8/22/17 by Del Rey Books

Pages: 384 Price: $27.00 Hardcover

Links:  Goodreads,

Buy the Book: Amazon  Reincarnation Blues: A Novel I absolutely loved this book.  Completely.  I actually believe in reincarnation, much like what was described in this book.  My belief is that we come back to Earth time and time again in order to experience every part of humanity and evolve as a soul.  I also believe we plan each life, to some extent, in order to reach our goals so while this is a great story of human nature and love there was also the added bonus, for me, that so much of the plot fed into my belief system of life and death and reincarnation.  Score!

Okay putting that aside for those of you who don’t share my beliefs this is still an amazingly good book.  The story is entertaining, the characters not taking themselves too seriously, willing to poke fun at themselves.  They were also full of depth, complex and unique.  Some of their quirks had me laughing but the author also knew how to set the fun aside and get serious for a chapter or two.  There were such profound moments in this book that it made my heart wrench for the characters.  The author did an excellent job of showing the human race for what we are, blemishes and all.  He also showed us the potential for what we could become, though.  That in each of us we have the potential to do great things and some pretty crappy things too.  Of course, then there is karma which will get us in the end and rewards us for our actions be them good or bad.

The synopsis leads one to believe this is a story about love and it is but it is also so much more.  I would have to say that the love plot line almost took a back burner for me.  Oh sure I wanted to see those two crazy kids get together and have their H.E.A (e standing for eternity here) but it isn’t what kept me engaged in the story.  The observations on humanity are what kept me turning the page.  The jumping back and forth in time, done well by the way and not confusing at all, to observe how the human race evolved over time and how one small act can ripple through out time and change the course of humanity for years to come.

This is simply a great read done by a talented author who can weave a complex and fresh story that not only entertains but makes one stop and think for a moment.  It is one of those books that I’m better for having read it and you will be too.

My Rating: 5 Stars

*This is going to be a non-bookish post.

Today I lost someone I loved.  Someone that came the closest I will ever have to an actual child.  Someone that was my best friend.  I woke to find my cat Attilla, Tilla for short, paralyzed from the waist down.  I knew it wasn’t good.  Called the vet and then made my husband drive us because I knew I wouldn’t be safe to operate a vehicle.  Arrived at the vet and of course it wasn’t good news.  She had a heart condition, a coronary thrombosis broke loose early this morning and she had an embolism.  As he explained all that had happen to my baby I knew it meant one thing.  Today I lose my best friend.  I interrupted him and said “I have to put her down don’t I.”  “It would be best” he replied, “She was in a tremendous amount of pain and there would be little or no recovering.” I scooped her up and clung to her as they made preparations. Sign the paperwork, no I want to take her home, I don’t need a box and I will remain in the room.  I sent my husband out to pay the bill and held my girl as they took her from me. Carried her home and buried her in the pasture where she loved to hunt.  I haven’t stopped crying since.

I’m sitting here in shock because it was so sudden.  I need to processes this fast because life goes on.  It isn’t fair to the animals that remain to suffer while I mourn.  I still need to go to work and next week I am going to my  college’s homecoming, its my classes honor year celebration 20 years.  I sit here typing this with kittens on my lap because I don’t want to be alone, yet I don’t want to be around people.  I know she was a cat, and I have lost many before and there will be plenty to come.  Tilla was special.  Tilla was my favorite.  She truly was my best friend.  The one being on this planet that I know loved me above all others.  My cuddle kitty, who always went to sleep curled up under my arm.  She would insist.  Pawing at me if I didn’t let her in, under the covers of course.  I dread tonight when I go to sleep alone…  I’ve known many pets and loved them all in some way or another but every once in a while there is a special bond.  That one soul that connects with you on a deeper level.  The ones that can’t be replaced.  Today I lost someone who I had that special bond with and it broke my heart.  I will eventually be able to function again but I will never get over Tilla.

She has been in my life since she was four weeks old.  My brother brought her and her two siblings, only her sister remains, to come be barn cats after their mother was killed by a car.  I raised them and when her sister was hit by a car and had her leg in a cast I moved them both into the house (I had already lost their brother) and they became house cats.  Tilla chose me.   I didn’t stand a chance, she wormed her way into my heart and today she took a piece of it with her.

So today I say good-bye and know I did the right thing.  It wasn’t easy or fair, but it was compassionate.  I found the strength to say good-bye instead of holding on for selfish reasons out of love.  She is not in pain.  She is free.  I will move on all the while crying at everything that reminds me of her.  I will let love in again I can’t help it, even if it means more days like this in my future.  Because this is one painful day and all the days of joy she brought me so vastly out-weigh it in the end.  Love is worth the price. Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us to share lists on the following:

June 7: Ten Reasons I Love X — could be a certain book, character, author, your indie bookstore, a fandom, a tv show, reading, a hobby, a genre. Honestly, anything you want to gush about.

If you haven’t already guessed it from the post title I’m going to be talking about my love of all things Trek for this week’s post.  There are other topics I could have picked: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Cats, Birds, Politics, Turkey, Vampires, etc.  Being this is the 50th anniversary of the original series and that I wore my Star Trek t-shirt today why not.  So…. Ten Reasons I Love Star Trek

So there you have my love of Star Trek summed up into a Top Ten Tuesday post.  Are you a Trekkie too?  Why not share how you came to love Star Trek in the comments. Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular blog meme, Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us to share:

February 9: Valentine’s Day is next week…let’s do a Valentine’s Day themed freebie! Top Ten Books That Would Make Great Valentine’s Day Reads (or anti-Valentine’s day reads), Top Ten OTPs, Top 10 fictional crushes, top ten great love declarations in fiction, swoony quotes from books etc. Get creative!

Now I read a lot of romance, be it paranormal, science fiction, or urban fantasy most of the books I read involve some sort of romance at the heart of the story.  So going through my read shelf over at Goodreads I kept my eye out for a theme for today.  I’ve decided to go with books from the darker side of romance.  Either there was no happily ever after or one of the leads came from a tortured past or some other reason that the story broke my heart.  After all sometimes it is good to have a nice cathartic cry and pine for what might have been or on the flip side the struggle makes the H.E.A. all that more sweet.   So lets jump to it!

Ten of my favorite dark romances

There you have my list for the week.  What darker romance stories stories do you suggest? Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday a blog meme hosted by the good people over at The Broke and The Bookish.  This week they ask us:

I would classify many, if not most, of the books I read fall into the genre of romance.   It is a genre that can be broken down into a bunch of different topics or styles and most of the ones I read tend to be paranormal.  I will sneak a few contemporary titles in there occasionally, but  haven’t really hit the hard-core traditional authors like Danielle Steele, Nicholas Sparks (Yes, your books are romance, stop denying it.  You are just adding to the stigma against the genre), or Nora Roberts.  As a proud reader of the genre, albeit a very narrow focus, I have decided to make my list ten reasons I love books about love.

Ten Reasons I love Romance

There you have it why I love romance books.  How about you?  Have you tried one?  Who are your favorite authors?  If you are one of those book snobs who thinks the genre beneath them I challenge you to try one or even several.  If you still don’t like then, fine, but only then you have earned the right to look down your noses at the rest of us who do. At page 280

I’ve started the second book in the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R.R. Martin, but just barely.  Before my marathon reading session today (200 pages!)  I had only made it to page 80 in two days.  I was busy working on a giveaway for  this week and there was of course winter crap to deal with including a snowplow that re-closed my driveway.  Thank you county…  Anyway.  Since I’ve not made it that far into the book, over 700 yet to go, I’ve decided this progress report I will share some of my thoughts on the major characters thus far in the series.  I’m going to break them into three categories: Love’em, Mixed Emotions, and Want to see their head liberated from their body.

Daenerys Targaryn:  This character has had my sympathy from the beginning.  She knew nothing of the war, nothing of the kingdom she came from and was used and abused by the only family she had.  Some times I wonder if she is half crazy, but I admire the strength of character and growth she has shown.  I secretly hope she returns and destroys them all and reclaims the throne for her family’s honor.

Tyrion Lannister:  In the beginning I had mixed emotions about him.  I kept waiting for him to turn into a real bastard, but I have grown to respect this man and feel he may be the only sane/intelligent person in his entire family.

Arya Stark:  I like her spunk.   I enjoy her tom-boy ways and admire her courage.

Drogo: I was sad to see what happen to him.  I wished he had played a larger role in this story.  I respected him for how he treated Daenerys.  I think he truly loved her.

Jon Snow:  When he isn’t feeling sorry for himself about being a bastard I really like reading this character’s pages.  I think he is quite interesting and honorable.

Varys:  Even though I am not entirely sure if this is a ‘good’ guy or ‘bad’ guy, I do love how he knows what all is going on.  I think he has the best interest of the kingdom and people at heart though.

Eddard Stark:  I must say this character’s demise in the first book shook me the most.  I kept telling myself not to get too attached to him,  I knew  he probably going to go after the king, but I kept holding out hope he would survive.

Mixed Emotions

Sansa Stark:  At first I had no respect for this nit-wit.  She was everything I loathed about female characters in fantasy book, but then she changed.  Most of the time she still gets on my nerves, but must stay she is starting to grow on me.

Robb Stark:  Half the time I can’t wait to get through his parts.  I hope he becomes more interesting soon.  I just find his skill, knowledge and path in life a little convenient at time.

Bran Stark:  While he hold great sympathy in my esteem I find his sections of the story a little dull…

Catelyn Stark:  Half the time I hate this character then she does something and I like her again.  In the beginning I really thought she was a bitch, but sometimes she does something that makes me look past her bigotry.

Want to see their head liberated from their body

Joffrey:  What a spoil brat.  I can’t believe they actually let him take the throne.  The power is making him crazy too.  So looking forward to his death.  Hope it is painful.

Jaime Lannister:  Besides what he and his sister have going on being so gross, I really think he needs to die to balance out Eddard’s death.

Cersei Lannister:  Total manipulative bitch.  Gives women a bad name. I’m thinking death would be too good for her.  I would like to see her lose everyone she loves and the power she covets.  She should live out her days in a deep dark dungeon.

Tymin Lannister:  I’m thinking he is the reason his children, save Tyrion, are so messed up.  Lets see him be defeated in battle.

Viserys Targaryen:  The only character that has gotten what they deserve so far.

There are probably many others I could add to each group, but I think that is enough for now.  I need to get back to the book to see what happen next !   What do you think.  Who do you love or hate?
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